Omdat het regent, spreken we in het café af.

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Breakdown of Omdat het regent, spreken we in het café af.

• in: in
• het: it
• omdat: because

Questions & Answers about Omdat het regent, spreken we in het café af.

Why does the main clause start with spreken instead of we spreken?

In Dutch, when a subordinate clause (like one introduced by omdat) comes first, the main clause that follows must invert the subject and the finite verb. That’s why you get spreken we in het café af rather than we spreken in het café af.

What role does omdat play, and how does it affect word order?

Omdat is a subordinating conjunction meaning because. It introduces a reason clause. In Dutch subordinate clauses, the finite verb moves to the end of the clause. Here the clause is short—omdat het regent—so regent naturally sits at the end. But if you had another verb, e.g. omdat hij gisteren arriveert, the main verb (arriveert) would move even further back.

Why is there a comma after Omdat het regent?

It’s common (though not absolutely mandatory) in Dutch to separate a fronted subordinate clause from the main clause with a comma. This comma signals that the subordinate thought is finished and the main clause is beginning.

What does afspreken mean, and why is af at the end of the sentence?